01
der Strang
strand / cord
A long, flexible piece made of twisted or braided fibers, such as a rope, cord, or thick yarn.
example
Sie band das Paket mit einem dicken Strang zusammen.
She tied the package together with a thick cord.
der Strang
strand
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Meanings
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Usage tips
From concrete to abstract
The basic meaning of 'Strang' is a rope or cord. Many other meanings are derived from this: a 'Haarstrang' (strand of hair) is like a small rope made of hair, and a 'Handlungsstrang' (plotline) is like a thread running through a story.
EXAMPLE
Der Kriminalroman hat einen sehr komplexen Handlungsstrang.
The crime novel has a very complex plotline.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'an einem Strang ziehen' means to pull together and is very common. The wording is fixed and is always used with the verb 'ziehen' (to pull).
EXAMPLE
Im Team müssen alle an einem Strang ziehen, um erfolgreich zu sein.
In a team, everyone has to pull together in order to be successful.
Typical compounds
In the meaning of 'bundle', 'Strang' is often used as part of compound words. Common examples are 'Haarstrang' (strand of hair), 'DNA-Strang' (strand of DNA), or 'Wollstrang' (skein of wool).
EXAMPLE
Die Friseurin färbte mir eine einzelne rote Haarstrang.
The hairdresser dyed a single red strand of my hair.
Narratives and texts
When referring to stories, films, or novels, people often speak of a 'Handlungsstrang' (plotline) or 'Erzählstrang' (narrative thread). A book can also have 'mehrere Stränge' (several threads) that run in parallel.
EXAMPLE
Der Film hat so viele Erzählstränge, dass ich den Überblick verloren habe.
The film has so many narrative threads that I lost track.
Compare with
Strang vs Handlung
plot / action
'die Handlung' and 'der Strang' can both appear when talking about books, films, or series. 'Die Handlung' means the whole sequence of events, that is, what the story as a whole is about. 'Der Strang' usually means only one part of it, for example an individual development or story within a larger plot. The words can be confused because people often say 'Handlungsstrang' (plotline). In practice: if you mean the whole story, 'Handlung' fits. If you mean one line within the story, 'Strang' fits, or more precisely 'Handlungsstrang'.
Strang
In dem Roman gibt es einen Strang über die Familie und einen zweiten über die Arbeit der Hauptfigur.
In the novel, there is one storyline about the family and a second one about the main character's work.
Handlung
Die Handlung des Films war spannend, aber am Ende etwas schwer zu verstehen.
The plot of the film was exciting, but in the end a little hard to understand.
In real life
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